Case Number 01920

SILENT RUNNING

The Charge

Earth's last battle will be fought in space

Opening Statement

In a world inundated with shallow, special effects driven blockbusters, the
true power of filmmaking is rediscovered in this 30-year-old, low budget science
fiction classic. While the set decorations may look like something from an
episode of Space 1999 or the old Lost In Space TV series, the
film's message is timeless and its impact profound.

Facts of the Case

In the future, the Earth's ecosystem has been devastated. The only remaining
vegetation has been placed within a group of geodesic domes, each housing a
different environment (Desert, Pine Forest, Tropical Rain Forest, Urban Ghetto,
et cetera) and launched into space on cargo ships. Botanist Freeman Lowell
(Bruce Dern) and the small crew of the USS Valley Forge (Ron Rifkin, Jesse Vint,
Cliff Potts) have been tasked with cultivating and nurturing the contents of the
domes until the Earth is ready for reforestation. In the meantime, life on board
the love boat has become a trifle boring. Most of the crew spends their days
living out childhood summers in the Wisconsin Dells -- drinking, playing cards,
shooting pool, and chasing each other around in go-karts -- all except for
Lowell. He is the Earth father, tending to the gardens, caring for the wildlife
(yes -- actual cameos by ducks, bunnies, squirrels, turtles, and birds), and
otherwise communing with nature. It is his fervent belief their recall to Earth
is coming soon and he will be tapped to lead the environmental rebirth. Turns
out he was right about one thing -- the call has come, but the project has been
scrapped. Orders are to destroy the domes and return home. When you are a
peaceful, loving environmentalist, told to destroy the one thing you are sworn
to protect, how far will you go to prevent those orders from being carried
out?

The Evidence

The year is 1970. Twenty-nine year old whiz kid, Douglas Trumbull, is fresh
off a career high as special effects supervisor for Stanley Kubrick's 2001: A
Space Odyssey and looking to spread his wings. Hollywood, energized by the
critical and financial success of the independent film Easy Rider, is
salivating over the prospect of increasing profit margins by cranking out a slew
of low budget, creator driven films. Universal is first out of the blocks with a
five picture development deal -- Dennis Hopper's The Last Movie, Peter
Fonda's The Hired Hand, Milos Forman's Taking Off, George Lucas'
American Graffiti, and Douglas Trumbull's Silent Running. The
studio provides each filmmaker with a $1 million budget and keeps their hands
out of the creative process in the hopes of catching lighting in a bottle.

Silent Running was a concept created by Trumbull and fleshed out by
newcomers Deric Washburn (The Deer Hunter), Mike Cimino (The Deer
Hunter), and Steven Bochco (Hill Street Blues, LA Law, NYPD
Blue). It was shot in 32 days aboard a decommissioned aircraft carrier (USS
Valley Forge) and inside an airplane hangar. At the time, the science fiction
genre and Hollywood were not on the best of terms. Cheesy television series and
giant radioactive bug movies had worn thin and few studios were willing to sink
any money into these projects. However, Trumbull's story was less technology and
more human interest. Described as a tale of a man and his three dogs lost in the
Sierra Mountains, Silent Running focuses on the beliefs and ideals of the
lone protector Lowell, his actions, their consequences, and his relationship
with three companions -- drone robots Huey, Duey, and Louie.

The film itself is captivating. Slow at times but never boring, the audience
is drawn into and emotionally invested in the lives of these characters. Dern
does an admirable job in his first leading role. Enhanced by the music of Peter
Schickele (AKA PDQ Bach) and the vocals of legendary folk singer Joan Baez,
Silent Running has a unique feel and an even more profound impact.

Having watched this film less than 24 hours before seeing Star Wars
Episode II: Attack of the Clones, I was struck by how much I was affected by
Trumbull's story and how little I felt for the characters in Lucas' latest
installment. Now comes the irony of this comparison. Trumbull, his father Don
(special effects genius on The Wizard of Oz), and friend John Dykstra
developed cutting edge technology for the limited but impressive special effects
used on Silent Running, most done in-camera. A short time after
completing work on this film, Trumbull Sr. and Dykstra went over to help George
Lucas create the effects technology for his next project, a sci-fi adventure
called Star Wars. But I digress.

As for the technical aspects of the DVD, the transfer is magnificent. You
will see the difference between this and the original print when watching the
supplemental documentary. The colors are sharp, despite the muted palette of the
late '60s and early '70s. The picture is crisp and clean without a hint of edge
enhancement or artifacting. The film's grand scope is felt in this 1.85:1
anamorphic widescreen presentation. While the sound is only mono, the vocal
tracks are crystal clear. However, many of the sound effects, especially the
explosions, come through somewhat muted.

Special features add to the overall enjoyment of this package. First up, the
award winning 1972 documentary on the making of Silent Running. At 50
minutes in length, it does drag, but the payoff is well worth the investment of
your time. The commentary by director Trumbull and star Bruce Dern (recorded 16
October 2000) is a real treat. Great nuggets of information uncovered include
the consideration of Larry Hagman (I Dream of Jeannie) for the lead role,
the strained relationship between Trumbull and Stanley Kubrick, and Todd
Browning's Freaks as the inspiration for the drones. The new 30-minute
featurette, on the other hand, can be skipped, as most of the comments are
repeated in the more engaging commentary track. The 10-minute conversation with
Bruce Dern is entertaining, as is the five minute conversation with Trumbull on
the development of the Showscan technology (high speed 70mm cinematography) and
his subsequent creation of Universal Studio's Back to the Future
attraction. Rounding out the extras, we have a trailer (my how far we've come),
production notes (Zzzzzz), cast and filmmaker bios (yawn), recommendations
(Universal DVD catalog highlights), and a DVD newsletter ("subscribe to our
email list and you'll be in the KNOW!").

Closing Statement

Having never seen Silent Running before, I was surprised by its
relevance and emotional impact. For sci-fi fans, I strongly recommend renting
this one. For students of film and fans of the movie, this is a must buy.
Silent Running is the grandfather of modern science fiction/fantasy films
and Universal has honored it with respect and reverence.

The Verdict

Silent Running is found innocent on all counts. However, Universal is
hereby ordered to honor more great films with similar care and attention. This
court is now in recess.